Man injured in West Hempstead house fire; firefighters battle Copiague blaze, officials say

A West Hempstead man was treated Wednesday evening for burns and smoke inhalation after a fire at his Oakford Street residence that displaced him and two other occupants, Nassau County police and fire officials said.

It was one of two Long Island fires Wednesday night that forced the occupants of homes to flee.

The Lakeview Fire Department responded about 6:35 p.m. to a call about a fire at the two-story, single-family home, Nassau County Assistant Chief Fire Marshal Andrew Schmitt Jr. said in a news release.

When firefighters arrived, they encountered a blaze that had already engulfed the home, Schmitt said.

One occupant, a 55-year-old man, "suffered minor burns and smoke inhalation," the Nassau County Police Department said in a news release. He was transported to a hospital.

EMS personnel evaluated another occupant for smoke inhalation, who refused medical treatment at the scene, Schmitt said. A third occupant was able to get out of the home but additional information was not immediately available late Wednesday.

The American Red Cross was activated to help the residents, the fire marshal said. An animal control service was notified because of "multiple cats in the house," Schmitt added.

He did not say how many cats were in the home at the time of the fire or if any were injured.

Firefighters controlled the blaze within an hour, Schmitt said. About 75 firefighters, including from departments in East-Rockaway, Elmont, Inwood, Lawrence-Cedarhurst, Lynbrook, Malverne and Rockville Centre, responded to the scene.

The Nassau County Fire Marshal’s Office and detectives with the police department’s arson/bomb squad are investigating the fire, officials said.

A second fire was reported, this one in Copiague, just before 9 p.m. Wednesday when firefighters responded to a fully involved house fire on East Gate Lane.

Suffolk fire authorities reported the occupants had escaped the flames without injures.

Firefighters from Copiague, Amityville, Lindenhurst and North Lindenhurst had the fire under control in about an hour, authorities said.

Newsday's John Valenti contributed to this story.